In August, the Department of Health and Human Services proposed making sweeping changes to Head Start, the early childhood education program.
Head Start is unique because it is first and foremost an antipoverty program. It has high standards and robust requirements designed to serve families who live below the poverty line.
The Trump administration is trying to do away with many of these standards, including:
- Eliminating required meetings between teachers and families,
- Weakening deadlines for heath and development screenings,
- Removing child-teacher ratio requirements that support safe, high-quality classroom environments, and
- Requiring all instruction take place in English, ending dual language programs.
More than 700,000 kids and families across the country benefit from Head Start, including many who are homeless, in foster care, or disabled.
These proposed changes threaten the very foundation of Head Start. But we can fight back.
Submit a public comment today and tell the Department of Health and Human Services to protect Head Start.
Take Action
Step 1: Write your comment.
We’ve set up the comment generator below to help you get started. However, the most impactful public comments are personalized. Share your story, expertise, and concerns in your comment.
Some example prompts:
- How would changing Head Start impact you, your family, or someone else in your community.
- How have your, your children, or your family benefitted from Head Start?
- If you don’t have a personal story, share how the proposed changes will impact parents and children broadly, and why access to high-quality early childhood education matter to you.
Step 2: Submit your comment.
After you edit your comment, copy it and submit it on regulations.gov. Comments can be submitted anonymously, but you do need an email address.
Comments are due by October 6, 2026 at 8:59 PM PDT/11:59 PM EDT.
Please note: Individuals who wish to submit an anonymous comment can so directly during final submission of their comment.
Keep reading to learn more about public comments
Public Comment 101
When federal agencies change policies, they must allow the public to comment on how this will affect them. Typically, this means the public gets 30 to 60 days to submit comments.
Comments are important for two key reasons:
First, they give the agency more information and insight as to how the regulations will affect them. In previous administrations, for agencies staffed by people who care about the impact of their work on communities, this is a critical step to gather information.
Second, comments are public record. Even if the agency ignores the comments and enacts the rule anyway, an ensuing lawsuit can use the comments as proof that the agency did not take public will into account.
Anyone can submit a comment – including people who are not citizens yet.
The one thing you do need is an email address.
The most effective comments are the ones that you make your own. The best comments share how this rule change affects you, your family, or someone you know. Share your story and personalize your comments.
Be clear about the specific harm caused be a rule change you’re opposing.
Also know duplicative comments will be deleted, so only submit your comment once.
Finally, your voice matters. Submitting a public comment is one way to have yours heard.
Step 1: Write your comment. For the rules listed below, we have comment generators that can help, but feel free to make it your own!
Step 2: Submit your comment on regulations.gov. Copy your comment from the generator, make any edits you’d like, and then submit it as an individual.
Sample Public Comments
Need some more inspiration?
Here are some actual comments that were submitted opposing these fee increases. Note that they are all different lengths, and they each sound unique.
Example 1:
The proposed changes to Head Start hurt the most vulnerable in our society. Head Start provides the academic foundation and base for children to build on. Eliminating this program will only further burden and add to other difficulties these kids and their families already have. This can severely limit the potential for children to break the chains of poverty. This is not only a problem for children and their families but to communities as whole. I highly urge that we stop progress of this harmful changes to a program who has shown that it works.
Example 2:
Please do NOT gut Head Start program. It has been working for many, many years and provides support for low income families. It is a BIG need especially as families struggle to make ends meet. This program helps poor families with child care so they can work and contribute to society and pay taxes for government programs like Head Start. There is no reason to end this program or gut is funding. STOP this conversation now and keep Head Start as it was planned. Thank you
Example 3:
Keep Head Start safe.